Halifax Police officer packs it in after more than 3 decades on the job

It’s hard to pack a career that’s spanned more than three decades into a few boxes, but that’s exactly what Cst. Steve Saunders spent Friday doing.

“I just decided the time was right and today is the last day to clean up the office – I go on a pre-retirement leave and that’s it,” he said.

Saunders graduated from the police academy in 1982 and has been a member of the Halifax Regional Police ever since.

For the last 34 years, he’s been working in the community trying to make a difference in the daily lives of Haligonians.

“I’m gonna miss a lot of the great people I work with, both in Halifax and the RCMP and the other police agencies,” said Saunders.

“But I think I’ll really miss the most is the amount of people and the types of people I’ve met working in the schools and in the community. I’ve met a lot of phenomenal people.”

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In the early 90’s, Saunders was vital in forming the Municipal Association of Police Personnel, which is the union that continues to represent hundreds of sworn and civilian police personnel to this day.

“Back then it was just a constables union and within a year or two we also absorbed the non-commissioned officers and officers and brought them into our union as well. It’s been like that now, ever since.”

Although recognized with multiple awards, some of Saunders’ greatest accomplishments come off the job.

He’s spent years volunteering his time and talent on the football field to coach youth across the city.

“I’ve coached high school football for the last, about 23 years,” he said.

“Seeing how many kids went on to have a great life and knowing football was a part of that life, to help get them through high school and put them in the team spirit.”

Although Saunders won’t be donning his uniform anymore, he won’t entirely be cut off from the world of law enforcement – policing is a family affair for the Saunders family.

“I met my wife 30 years ago. She was told not to hang around that police officer over there, but that police officer over there was a little persistent and I met her 30 years ago, we’ve been married for the better part of 28 years,” Saunders said of his wife, Barb, who is also a member of the Halifax Regional Police.

“We have three children, and the oldest two are police officers in Calgary.”